Paddle grip

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for forming a sporting racquet handle wherein the racquet has a rectangular cross-section handle base. The apparatus comprises a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion, a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion, and connectors for securing the first sleeve portion to the second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate the first handgrip portion with the second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base. The method comprises securing a first sleeve portion around the handle base and securing a second sleeve portion around the handle base to as to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/489,933 filed Apr. 25, 2017 entitled Paddle Grip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present inventionrelates generally to a sports racket handle and in particular to ahandle grip for pickleball paddles. 2. Description of Related Art

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport, with roots in badminton, tennis andtable tennis. Pickleball is played in a pickleball court, where aperforated ball is hit over a net using paddles, similar to table tennispaddles. Originally, pickleball was played with table tennis orping-pong paddles, but as the sport evolved the paddle size andmaterials also evolved, such that pickleball paddles are now unique tothe sport. The paddles may be formed using wood or composite materials.

In prior art, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a pickleball paddle 9 is asubstantially flat planar member with a handle portion 8. An end cap 7may be mounted to the distal end of the handle portion 8. The handleportion 8 is traditionally covered with an adhesive grip 6 which iswrapped around the end cap 7 and handle portion 8. Optionally, a pair ofgripping members 5, which may be formed of foam or the like, may beplaced on either side of the handle portion 8 prior to wrapping it withthe adhesive grip 6, improving comfort for the user. Disadvantageously,the flat handle portion 8 may be uncomfortable in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first embodiment of the present invention there isdisclosed an apparatus for forming a sporting racquet handle wherein theracquet is formed of a substantially planar member having a rectangularcross-section handle base.

The apparatus comprises a first sleeve portion having a first sleeveinterior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeveexterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion, a second sleeveportion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon thehandle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a secondhandgrip portion, and connectors for securing the first sleeve portionto the second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate thefirst handgrip portion with the second handgrip portion to form acontinuous handgrip around the handle base.

The first and second sleeve portions may have matingly engageable edges.The connectors may comprise pins extending from one of the first orsecond sleeve portions to be engageable within blind bores in the otherof the first or second sleeve portions. The pins and the blind bores mayextend perpendicularly to the racquet planar member. The pins and theblind bores may extend parallelly to the racquet planar member.

The first and second sleeve portions may include an end cap formedtherewith. The first and second sleeve portions may include an enlargedportion proximate to the end cap.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there isdisclosed a racquet comprising a substantially planar member having arectangular cross-section handle base, a first sleeve portion having afirst sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a firstsleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion, a second sleeveportion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon thehandle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a secondhandgrip portion, and connectors for securing the first sleeve portionto the second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate thefirst handgrip portion with the second handgrip portion to form acontinuous handgrip around the handle base.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there isdisclosed a method of forming a sport racquet handle around a handlebase comprising securing a first sleeve portion having a first sleeveinterior in close mating engagement around the handle base and securinga second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior in close matingengagement around the handle base to as to mate exteriors of the firstsleeve portion and the second sleeve portion to form a continuoushandgrip around the handle base.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction withthe accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention whereinsimilar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view,

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art pickleball paddleand grip.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pickleball paddle and grip accordingto a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pickleball paddle and gripof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pickleball handle and grip ofFIG. 2, taken along the plane 4-4.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a pickleball paddle and gripaccording to a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a pickleball paddle and gripaccording to a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 2, a pickleball paddle handle grip according to afirst embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10. Thepickleball paddle 9 is a substantially flat planar member with a handleportion 8, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. It is commonly known that thepaddle 9 is co-formed with the handle portion 8 such that they are onepiece. The grip 10 is secured over the handle portion 8 to form agripping surface 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the grip 10 is formed using two sleeveportions 12, which fit together to form the gripping surface 20. Thesleeve portions 12 each extend between first and second ends, 14 and 16,respectively, and between first and second sides, 24 and 26,respectively, with a widened, tapered end cap portion 18 proximate tothe first end 14. The end cap portion 18 is formed in any shape, as iscommonly known, and allows for a firm hold on the gripping surface 20while reducing slippage within the user's hand. The gripping surface 20may be formed in any desirable shape, such as, by way of non-limitingexample, oval, hexagonal, rectangular, or ridged surface, although othersurface shapes may be used, as well.

Each sleeve portion 12 has a mating surface 22 which joins together withthe mating surface 22 on a second sleeve portion 12 to form a unitaryhandle grip. Upright walls along the first and second sides 24 and 26and along the first end 14 form a central cavity 28 with an insidesurface 30. The inside surface 30 may be a solid continuous surface, asillustrated in FIG. 5, or it may be a ribbed or textured surface, asillustrated in FIG. 3. When two sleeve portions 12 are joined togetheralong the mating surface 22, the central cavities 28 cooperate tosurround the handle portion 8, with the inside surface 30 engaging uponthe handle portion 8.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4, the sleeve portions 12 may jointogether over the handle top and bottom, 4 and 3, respectively, althoughit will be appreciated that sleeve portions 12 may join together overthe handle first and second sides, 1 and 2, respectively, as illustratedin FIG. 5.

The sleeve portions 12 may be joined together by any method as iscommonly known. One method of joining is illustrated in FIG. 5. Eachsleeve portion 12 may include a plurality of pins 40 extending from themating surface 22 along the first side 24 which may be received withinassociated bores 42 within the opposite mating surface 22 along thesecond side 26. As illustrated, each sleeve portion 12 may be formed inthe same manner with both pins 40 and bores 42 on the mating surfaces 22such that they line up on either side of the handle portion 8. It willbe appreciated that two different sleeve portions 12 may be formed, withone sleeve portion 12 including the pins 40, while the other sleeveportion includes the bores 42. It will be appreciated that this methodof joining may be incorporated with the first embodiment of theinvention, as well.

Other methods of joining the two sleeve portions 12 together withoutpins may also be utilized, such as, by way of non-limiting example, withsnap tabs, latches, adhesives or other methods as are commonly known inthe art.

Turning now to FIG. 6, a further embodiment of the invention isillustrated whereby the sleeve portions 12 are formed similarly asdescribed 10 above, with the mating surface 22 formed along the end capportion 18 only. In this embodiment, the inside surface 30 primarilyengages upon the handle top and bottom 4 and 3, with the end cap portion18 forming the sleeve at the first end 14. As outlined above, the twosleeve portions 12 may be joined to the handle portion 8 by any methodas is commonly known, such as, by way of non-limiting example, adhesivebetween the inside surface 30 and the handle portion 8.

It will be appreciated that the sleeve portions 12 may be covered by anadhesive grip 6, by methods as are commonly known in the art, followinginstallation on the handle portion 8.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described andillustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of theinvention only and not as limiting the invention as construed inaccordance with the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for forming a sporting racquethandle wherein the racquet is formed of a substantially planar memberhaving a rectangular cross-section handle base, the apparatuscomprising: a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interioradapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeve exteriorshaped to form a first handgrip portion; a second sleeve portion havinga second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and asecond sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion; andconnectors for securing said first sleeve portion to said second sleeveportion around the handle base so as to mate said first handgrip portionwith said second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip aroundthe handle base.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first andsecond sleeve portions have matingly engageable edges.
 3. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said connectors comprise pins extending from one ofsaid first or second sleeve portions to be engageable within blind boresin the other of said first or second sleeve portions.
 4. The apparatusof claim 3 wherein said pins and said blind bores extend perpendicularlyto the racquet planar member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein saidpins and said blind bores extend parallelly to the racquet planarmember.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sleeveportions include an end cap formed therewith.
 7. The apparatus of claim6 wherein said first and second sleeve portions include an enlargedportion proximate to said end cap.
 8. A racquet comprising: asubstantially planar member having a rectangular cross-section handlebase; a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted toengage upon said handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to forma first handgrip portion; a second sleeve portion having a second sleeveinterior adapted to engage upon said handle base and a second sleeveexterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion; and connectors forsecuring said first sleeve portion to said second sleeve portion aroundsaid handle base so as to mate said first handgrip portion with saidsecond handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around said handlebase.
 9. A method of forming a sport racquet handle around a handle basecomprising: securing a first sleeve portion having a first sleeveinterior in close mating engagement around the handle base; and securinga second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior in close matingengagement around the handle base to as to mate exteriors of said firstsleeve portion and said second sleeve portion to form a continuoushandgrip around the handle base.